Immersive Patient Advocacy: Q&A with Amy Grover

Catalyst kicked off the new year with the launch of its first Catalyst Advocacy Scholars Summit (CASS) immersive program that provides students with the opportunity to get experience in the biopharma industry. The program, developed in partnership with Notre Dame’s Patient Advocacy Minor Department, included 12 students with an interest in patient-centered thinking. Catalyst’s executive director of patient advocacy Amy Grover spoke with Pharmaceutical Executive about the program and the importance of instilling these values prior to joining the workforce.

Pharmaceutical Executive: Can you provide a breakdown of CASS and its goals?
Amy Grover: The Catalyst Advocacy Scholars Summit (CASS) is a week-long immersive learning program designed to bridge the gap between academic study and real-world biopharmaceutical practice. The program brought 12 students from The University of Notre Dame who have a minor in science and patient advocacy to our Coral Gables headquarters for an intensive exploration of the opportunities and challenges of how medicines reach people living with rare diseases.

Throughout the week, students gained hands-on exposure to the diverse functions at Catalyst and the dedication required to drive success in rare disease pharmaceutical development and commercialization. By engaging directly with Catalyst colleagues across multiple departments, students left the program with a greater understanding of the industry and their future within it. Ultimately, we aimed to reinforce the importance of patient advocacy in the next generation of scholars, who will apply this perspective throughout their careers across scientific and business disciplines within our industry.

PE: What inspired this collaboration between Catalyst and Notre Dame?
Grover: This collaboration emerged from a shared commitment to having patients as a protagonist. The University of Notre Dame's minor in science and patient advocacy is distinctive in higher education; it represents a recognition that patient perspectives and advocacy deserve formal academic study and integration across disciplines. We share this philosophy at Catalyst through our commitment to improving the lives of patients with rare diseases.

We recognized an opportunity to strengthen this connection between academic preparation and industry practice. Many of the most impactful innovations in rare disease medicine come from deeply understanding patient experiences and needs. By partnering with Notre Dame, we can help ensure the next generation of professionals enters the field with patient advocacy as a core competency, not an afterthought. The collaboration also allows us at Catalyst to learn from these students' fresh perspectives on our own patient programs and advocacy efforts.

PE: What qualities were used to select students for the program?
Grover: The 12 students participating in the inaugural CASS were selected by The University of Notre Dame based on criteria established in collaboration with Catalyst. While the university leads the selection process, we sought students who demonstrate strong academic performance combined with genuine passion for patient advocacy and rare disease communities.

Key qualities include intellectual curiosity, commitment to patient-centered approaches, collaborative mindset, and eagerness to learn across multiple functional areas, from research and development to regulatory affairs and commercialization. We also value students who can bring diverse perspectives and aren’t necessarily limited to traditional pre-med or pharmaceutical science backgrounds. The science and patient advocacy minor attracts students from various disciplines, and that interdisciplinary thinking is valuable in addressing the complex challenges of rare disease medicine.

PE: Does the biopharma industry not value patient advocacy enough?
Grover: Our industry has made tremendous progress in recognizing and integrating patient advocacy over the past decade, but there's always room for continued growth and improvement. At Catalyst, patient focus isn't just valued; it's fundamental to our mission as a rare disease company. Every decision we make considers the patients and families we serve.

That said, creating CASS reflects our belief that patient advocacy can be further strengthened across the industry, particularly by ensuring emerging professionals are trained in patient-centered thinking from the start of their careers. Traditional scientific and business education doesn't always emphasize the patient's perspective as thoroughly as it should. Our hope is that programs like Notre Dame's science and patient advocacy minor and our Summit help address that gap. The industry benefits enormously when patient voices and experiences inform every stage of medicine development and delivery. CASS is our investment in making that patient-centered approach even more widespread and deeply embedded in how the next generation approaches biopharmaceutical work.

PE: What impact does patient-centered thinking have on development and commercialization?
Grover: Patient-centered thinking fundamentally shapes how we approach every aspect of bringing medicines to rare disease communities. In development, it influences critical decisions about clinical trial design, from choosing endpoints and sites to creating protocols that minimize burden on patients and families already dealing with significant disease challenges. Patient input helps us understand what outcomes matter most to those living with these conditions, which may differ from what researchers initially assume.

Patient focus should continue into the commercialization stage, ensuring our market access strategies, support programs, and educational initiatives truly serve patient needs rather than simply driving business metrics. For rare diseases specifically, where patient populations are small and often underserved, this approach is essential. It means designing patient services programs that address real barriers to treatment access, creating educational materials that speak to genuine information needs, and building relationships with patient advocacy organizations.

At Catalyst, we've seen how patient-centered thinking leads to better outcomes—not just for patients, but for our business sustainability. When patients can access and remain on appropriate therapy, when they feel supported throughout their treatment journey, and when their voices shape our programs, everyone benefits. That's the perspective we hope CASS participants will carry forward throughout their careers.